Hotel Review
Geelong's biggest waterfront hotel
From
$220
/night
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Novotel Geelong is the safe choice. It sits right on the waterfront with a pool, gym, restaurant, bar, and room service , the most complete hotel package in town. Bay-view rooms are genuinely pleasant, especially at sunset. But "Novotel" also means what it always means: predictable, corporate, and lacking any local character. The rooms are fine, the service is fine, the restaurant is fine. Nothing will surprise you in either direction. For Great Ocean Road visitors wanting a comfortable one-night base with waterfront location, it delivers exactly what you'd expect.
Standard rooms are around 25sqm , compact but functional with a king or twin configuration. Bay-view rooms face Corio Bay and are worth the $40 upgrade , the water views are genuine and sunset light is excellent. Superior rooms are marginally larger. All rooms have the standard Novotel fit-out: neutral colours, Novotel-branded toiletries, a small desk, and a flat-screen TV. The furniture shows some wear, particularly compared to the newer R Hotel and Vue Apartments.
Room Type | Size | From | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
Standard Room Most Popular | 25 sqm | $220 | Business, short stays |
Bay View Room | 25 sqm | $260 | Couples, waterfront experience |
Superior Room | 30 sqm | $280 | Extra space |
On the Geelong Waterfront, directly on the promenade between Cunningham Pier and Eastern Beach. The Carousel is 2 minutes walk. Geelong Station is 10 minutes on foot. Pakington Street dining is 3km away by car. For Great Ocean Road access, you're 20 minutes to Torquay. The waterfront location is the hotel's strongest asset , stepping out of the lobby onto the bay promenade is genuinely appealing.
Heated indoor pool , small but serviceable, popular with families. Gym with standard equipment. On-site restaurant (The Waterfront Kitchen) serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner , buffet breakfast is decent, dinner is average pub-standard. Bar for evening drinks. Conference and event spaces. On-site parking ($15-20/day). Room service available.
The Waterfront Kitchen handles all meals. Breakfast buffet is solid , eggs, bacon, pastries, fruit. Dinner is forgettable , generic bistro menu with $25-35 mains. You're better off walking 5 minutes to the waterfront restaurants or driving to Pakington Street. The bar does cocktails and wine in a pleasant waterfront setting , better for drinks than the restaurant is for food.
At $220/night for a standard room ($260 for bay view), Novotel Geelong is mid-range for the city. Vue Apartments ($280) offer more space, better finishes, and kitchenettes. R Hotel ($250) has better design and a superior restaurant. Novotel's value case rests on the all-in-one package: pool, gym, restaurant, parking, waterfront. If those matter to you, it's fair value. If you just need a room, Quest ($180) or Mercure ($170) are cheaper.